ITALY: Keep Out

Monday, Nov. 07, 1955

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But if E.N.I, has produced only a trickle, it is an Italian trickle. That simple appeal has been sufficient to gather public opinion behind the government's position. "If these amendments become law," said a U.S. oilman in Rome, "no major U.S. oil company will do any further exploration or production in Italy. We couldn't afford to." Said an Italian official with unintended ambiguity: "Look, it's simple. We don't want to become a Saudi Arabia or a Venezuela."

^{*Not affected: semi-autonomous Sicily, which, by letting in
private oil companies, is already far ahead of the mainland in
developing its oil wealth.}